Video clip on BYOD Unpacking BYOD? According to Boettcher (2015), the Bring your own device (BYOD) as an approach involves allowing pupils or students to bring their own devices, especially tablets and other suitable personal devices, into classrooms to support improving student learning outcomes. Rather than the school owning the computing devices, as has been the norm to date, the devices are student owned. BYOD can be used both as an alternative to, or as an additional level of support to computers owned and provided by the school, such as a set of tablets that are being shared between classrooms at different times (Boettcher, 2015). Many BYOD suitable devices may be more capable and up to date than some school computers. Schools are beginning to see the potential of BYOD to support a more student-centered, active learning approach, with students taking more responsibility for their own learning (Casey & Evans, 2011). This also presents potential opportunities for differentiation for learning within classrooms. Though only a small number of Irish schools are using BYOD, awareness and adoption is growing (Greer, 2014).
Assumed benefits of the BYOD approach to learners and or students Schools in various countries are implementing BYOD because of its potential to deliver benefits to teaching and learning. Prensky (2010) cites some comments from Irish teachers on the benefits of BYOD, which include the following: ‘BYOD can promote greater participation from all learners or students in the classroom’s familiarity, given that most learners are most comfortable with their own devices. If a learner or student owns the device, he or she is more likely to look after it properly. The BYOD approach also offers the potential of every learner using their own device or where this is not possible, sharing a device in pairs on homework, class assignments to collaborate in such a way that all class work can be finished with some enthusiasm (McGorman, 2012). According to Prensky (2010), learning organizations that have embraced BYOD have recorded some advantages over their competitors. He notes for example, that for starters, BYOD programs generally shift costs to the user. With the learner paying for most, or all of the costs for the hardware, voice or data services, and other associated expenses, companies save a lot of money (Greer, 2014).
Student or learner satisfaction is achieved where laptops, tablets and smartphones are used in the classroom. In the case of the BYOD approach the learners take pride in using devices they prefer, and they like so much because they invested their hard-earned money in them (Moran, 2015). They would rather use the devices they love than being stuck with desktops and mobile devices that are selected and issued by their school or college’s IT department. Further to this, BYOD devices tend to be more cutting edge, so the students and or learners get the benefit of the latest features and capabilities (McGorman, 2012). Users also upgrade to the latest hardware more frequently than the painfully slow refresh cycles at most huge organizations (Greer, 2014). Educational implications for using the learners’ or students’ own devices in the classroom Though devices such as mobile phones and other personal devices can be used in BYOD situations, tablets may be more suitable as learning devices (McGorman, 2012). Educational possibilities for enhanced learning with tablets clearly exist, and there is a growing view that, guided effectively by teachers, they offer the potential for a new and exciting era in education. Tablets offer new capabilities and opportunities for learning, mainly in terms of their flexibility, mobile capabilities, and ease of use (Greer, 2014). This model can provide students with a shared or individual multi-functional learning device ‘in their own hands’. In a classroom setting tablets have the potential to support differentiated learning, where each student can engage with learning activities, using their own personal approach in a way that allows the whole class to be engaged in common activities, but where each student is engaging at their own pace (Tang & Whinston, 2012). Where tablets are used by students, they may be used in a variety of ways. Students could work collaboratively in small groups sharing one or more tablets, or they may have access to their own device (Greer, 2014). Where students have access to computing devices in school the balance of 'learner control' shifts from the teacher to the student. This in turn can facilitate and support student or learner self-directed, active learning and can facilitate higher levels of motivation and engagement in students (Prensky, 2010). Students adapt quickly to new technologies and tablets are seen as attractive learning tools by students and have the potential to introduce more engagement and fun into learning. Learners and or students increasingly have access to tablets and smartphones outside of school, and so can adapt easily to their use in school (Casey & Evans, 2011). The figure below demonstrated the level of seriousness enjoyed by learners when working with devices they are interested and familiar with.
Unpacking BYOD?
According to Boettcher (2015), the Bring your own device (BYOD) as an approach involves allowing pupils or students to bring their own devices, especially tablets and other suitable personal devices, into classrooms to support improving student learning outcomes. Rather than the school owning the computing devices, as has been the norm to date, the devices are student owned. BYOD can be used both as an alternative to, or as an additional level of support to computers owned and provided by the school, such as a set of tablets that are being shared between classrooms at different times (Boettcher, 2015). Many BYOD suitable devices may be more capable and up to date than some school computers. Schools are beginning to see the potential of BYOD to support a more student-centered, active learning approach, with students taking more responsibility for their own learning (Casey & Evans, 2011). This also presents potential opportunities for differentiation for learning within classrooms. Though only a small number of Irish schools are using BYOD, awareness and adoption is growing (Greer, 2014).
Assumed benefits of the BYOD approach to learners and or students
Schools in various countries are implementing BYOD because of its potential to deliver benefits to teaching and learning. Prensky (2010) cites some comments from Irish teachers on the benefits of BYOD, which include the following: ‘BYOD can promote greater participation from all learners or students in the classroom’s familiarity, given that most learners are most comfortable with their own devices. If a learner or student owns the device, he or she is more likely to look after it properly. The BYOD approach also offers the potential of every learner using their own device or where this is not possible, sharing a device in pairs on homework, class assignments to collaborate in such a way that all class work can be finished with some enthusiasm (McGorman, 2012).
According to Prensky (2010), learning organizations that have embraced BYOD have recorded some advantages over their competitors. He notes for example, that for starters, BYOD programs generally shift costs to the user. With the learner paying for most, or all of the costs for the hardware, voice or data services, and other associated expenses, companies save a lot of money (Greer, 2014).
Student or learner satisfaction is achieved where laptops, tablets and smartphones are used in the classroom. In the case of the BYOD approach the learners take pride in using devices they prefer, and they like so much because they invested their hard-earned money in them (Moran, 2015). They would rather use the devices they love than being stuck with desktops and mobile devices that are selected and issued by their school or college’s IT department. Further to this, BYOD devices tend to be more cutting edge, so the students and or learners get the benefit of the latest features and capabilities (McGorman, 2012). Users also upgrade to the latest hardware more frequently than the painfully slow refresh cycles at most huge organizations (Greer, 2014).
Educational implications for using the learners’ or students’ own devices in the classroom
Though devices such as mobile phones and other personal devices can be used in BYOD situations, tablets may be more suitable as learning devices (McGorman, 2012). Educational possibilities for enhanced learning with tablets clearly exist, and there is a growing view that, guided effectively by teachers, they offer the potential for a new and exciting era in education. Tablets offer new capabilities and opportunities for learning, mainly in terms of their flexibility, mobile capabilities, and ease of use (Greer, 2014). This model can provide students with a shared or individual multi-functional learning device ‘in their own hands’. In a classroom setting tablets have the potential to support differentiated learning, where each student can engage with learning activities, using their own personal approach in a way that allows the whole class to be engaged in common activities, but where each student is engaging at their own pace (Tang & Whinston, 2012). Where tablets are used by students, they may be used in a variety of ways. Students could work collaboratively in small groups sharing one or more tablets, or they may have access to their own device (Greer, 2014). Where students have access to computing devices in school the balance of 'learner control' shifts from the teacher to the student. This in turn can facilitate and support student or learner self-directed, active learning and can facilitate higher levels of motivation and engagement in students (Prensky, 2010). Students adapt quickly to new technologies and tablets are seen as attractive learning tools by students and have the potential to introduce more engagement and fun into learning. Learners and or students increasingly have access to tablets and smartphones outside of school, and so can adapt easily to their use in school (Casey & Evans, 2011). The figure below demonstrated the level of seriousness enjoyed by learners when working with devices they are interested and familiar with.